A STUDY OF GOD
Lesson 1
INTRODUCTION
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
The Importance of this Study
What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. (The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer)
Many think a study like this is academic. The study of the nature and character of God is for theologians not ordinary Christians. Nothing could be further from the truth! The study of God may be the most practical study there is.
Can you think of an area of biblical study that is not affected by our understanding of God? Our presuppositions about God determine the way we think about everything. A proper understanding of the nature and character of God is essential to right thinking about everything else.
Worship.
“A son honors his father,
And a servant his master.
If then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?
And if I am a Master,
Where is My reverence?
Says the LORD of hosts.”
Malachi 1:6
Why do people come to God with second best in worship? What has happened to make worship so irreverent? How is it that people offer unscriptural worship with no inhibition at all? Why is personal devotion such a struggle? These problems and more can be linked to a deficient understanding of God.
Morality.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting… Romans 1:28
Bad theology leads to bad morality. The basic elements of right character and conduct are an imitation of the character of God (1 Pet. 1:15-16; 1 Jn 4:8). Our pursuit of morality cannot be separated from our pursuit of God.
Service.
Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?”
Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:8
Why is it hard for people to serve God? Is it not because they have little knowledge of the Holy One? If more could see the King seated in glory as Isaiah did, we would surely hear more say, “Here am I! Send me.”
These are but a few areas where an obvious connection between theology and our Christian life can be seen. The knowledge of God is so comprehensive and fundamental to our faith, it is no wonder that our Lord prayed, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn. 17:3)
The Goal of Revelation
What is the purpose of God’s revelation to man? Is it simply a collection of rules? Is it a mere compilation of historical facts? Is it nothing more than an encyclopedia of great people who did great things (or of bad people who did bad things)?
The Bible is more than a “How to” book; much more than a list of do’s and don’ts. It is a revelation of God Himself. Even the rules given communicate something of God, in that they are based on His character.
The Bible is more than mere history; essentially it is “His”-story. It is a revelation of God’s works as He has fulfilled His eternal purpose. As we see how God’s plan of redemption unfolds, we learn more than historical fact, we learn about a Person who is behind all history.
The Bible is more than a collection of heroes and villains, good guys and bad guys. It is a record of the otherworldly struggle between God and the Devil played out on the human stage. Mortals are involved in this struggle throughout, but the story is not primarily about them. As great as the heroes of faith are we must never lose perspective. The story is not about Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, or the apostles. It’s about God. God is the hero of the Bible. As we see how God interacts with human characters in this struggle, we discover more about Him.
We make this point to say that the purpose of this study is not only to give a brief overview of the nature and characteristics of God (and we emphasize the words “brief” and “overview”), we also hope to reinforce the idea that the goal of all of our studies in the Word should be, at least in part, to come to a more perfect understanding of God. There is no way we can adequately describe God in thirteen lessons. We could not do it in twenty-six or fifty-two. This study is a lifelong endeavor, a mountain we climb endlessly until we are received up in glory and can finally see God in His fullness. The best we can do in this life is diligently search the scriptures to discover what God has revealed of Himself.. But this must be our objective if God’s true nature and characteristics are to be found. So we hope that in this modest study we can at least introduce the many facets of God’s nature and character to the end that we might develop a hunger to learn more of Him as we study from His Word.
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
The Importance of this Study
1)Consider this quote from Tozer and give your impression of why his statement is true or not: “Were we able to extract from any man a complete answer to the question, ‘What comes to your mind when you think about God?’ we might predict with certainty the spiritual future of that man.” Agree or disagree? Why or why not?
2)In the lesson we considered three areas which are directly influenced by our knowledge of God: worship, morality, and service.
a)Give more passages/reasoning’s which demonstrate our point about those three areas.
b)List other areas of our spiritual life which are affected by our knowledge of God.
3)Psalm 50:21 “You thought that I was altogether like you…” List some of the ways that we remake God in our own image and thus distort His true character. In what ways is this practice similar to idolatry?
The Goal of Revelation
4)Consider the following events from Genesis and explain briefly what each teaches us about God.
a)The Creation (Gen. 1).
b)The First Sin (Gen. 3).
c)The Flood (Gen. 6-9).
d)The Promises to Abraham (Gen. 12).
e)Abraham offers Isaac (Gen. 22).
f)Story of Joseph (Gen. 37-50).
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Lesson 2
THE TRANSCENDENT GOD
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Transcendence Defined
The word transcendence comes from a Latin term which means “to climb over, to go beyond.” The word came to represent, however, that which could not be crossed over. If something is transcendent, it is something that is too great to transcend, too great to be surmounted. The word is used now almost exclusively in the sense of going beyond something, or an extension beyond the limits of something (summary of definition by Ray Anderson found in Cottrell’s book).
When this word is used in relation to God it speaks of His relation to His creation. Since He is the creator, by definition God transcends what He has made. God goes beyond the universe; He is separate from it. “This is the heart of the distinction between Creator and creature; no more basic statement about the nature of God can be made.” (Cottrell)
God the Creator
The feature of God’s essence which makes Him completely transcendent is that God is the only uncreated being. 1 Timothy 6:16 says that God “alone has immortality.” Romans 1:23 condemns idolaters who forsake the incorruptible God to serve corruptible things. Verse 25 makes the distinction clear: “who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” The basis of God’s transcendence is this characterization of God as the Creator and all else as the creation.
God is Holy
The term the Bible uses to describe the transcendence of the Creator over His creation is the word holiness.
In Scripture God is characteristically described as “the Holy One” (Hos. 11:9, 12), “the Holy One of Israel” (Psa. 71:22; Jer. 51:5; throughout Isaiah), the “holy God” (Isa. 5:16); and the one whose name is holy (Psa. 30:4; 97:12; 103:1; Mt. 6:9). “Holy is He” (Psa. 99:3, 5); “holy is the Lord our God” (Psa. 99:9). “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:3; see Rev. 4:8). (Cottrell)
The word most likely comes from a Hebrew root which meant “to cut, to separate” which gives the word holy the idea of separation.
When used of God the word has two connotations: God is holy with regard to His ethical character and God is holy with regard to His essence. The former connotation can be seen in passages such as Isa. 30:11; 17:7; Josh. 24:19-20; 1 Pet. 1:15-16. But the later connotation is the dominant and most basic sense in which the Bible presents God as holy.
Holiness is the Nature of God, that which distinguishes Him from everything else, the Transcendence of God in His very Nature, as the “Wholly Other.” Hence Holiness is not a quality which God possesses in common with other beings; on the contrary, it is that which distinguishes Him clearly and absolutely from everything else. To be holy is the distinguishing mark peculiar to God alone: it is that which sets the Being of God apart from all other forms of being. (Brunner, quoted in Cottrell’s book)
The Exalted One
Another biblical theme that emphasizes transcendence is the exaltation of God.
The language of height dominates the biblical picture of God. God is described as dwelling in the highest heavens. He is called “God on high” (or God of height; Mic. 6:6). Isaiah said, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted” (Isa. 6:1); he is “the high and exalted One” (Isa. 57:15). “The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high” (Isa. 33:5). Moses said, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted” (Ex. 15:1). The Lord is called the “Highest One” (Dan. 7:18, 22, 25, 27), the “Most High” (Num. 24:16; Deut. 32:8; Lk. 1:32, 35; Acts 7:48; and elsewhere), and the “Most High God” (Dan. 5:18, 21; Mk. 5:7; Acts 16:17). His dwelling place is said to be “in heaven” (1 Kings 8:30; Psa. 2:4; 115:3; 123:1; Mt. 6:9). “I dwell on a high and lofty place,” says the Lord (Isa. 57:15). He is “in the highest” (Lk. 2:14). “The Lord’s throne is in heaven” (Psa. 11:4). (Cottrell)
God is Spirit
The transcendent element of God’s essence is His uncreatedness. The aspect of His nature that we share in to some degree is God’s spiritual nature. God is a Spirit (Jn. 4:24), and inasmuch as He created us in His image (Gen. 1:26-27) we share in this part of God’s nature. Cottrell comments that,
since God is spirit, He is like angels and human spirits in that He is immaterial and personal, for instance. But since He is uncreated, these attributes apply to God in an infinite way and with implications we can only begin to understand.
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Transcendence Defined
1)What is the meaning of the word transcendence? How is it used in relation to God?
God the Creator
2)What are the implications of the Creator/creature distinction with regard to:
- Worship (Psa. 33:6-9; 95:6; Rev. 4:11).
- Stewardship (Psa. 24:1-2; 50:10-11; 89:11).
- Morality (Rom. 1:18-32).
God is Holy/The Exalted One
3)When used of God, what are two connotations of the word holy? In which sense are we able to be holy (as God is)? What is the dominant sense in which the Bible presents God as holy? (Consider Ex. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; 29:23; Rev. 4:8; 15:4.)
4)In what sense is God exalted? Is this a geographic or special idea or is it figurative? Is God literally “above the heavens” or is this a description of God’s separateness from us?
5)Contrast the Bible picture of God as the holy God with the pagan understanding of deity. How did idolaters picture their gods? Did they see them as truly transcendent or simply as beings more powerful than themselves? What is the modern concept of God? Do most see God as absolutely transcendent or as merely a superior being? How would an accurate concept of God help to change the religious world? How would a more accurate concept of God change you and me?
Lesson 3
THE INFINITE GOD
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Infinity Defined
When we describe God as infinite what do we mean? What we mean is that God is non-finite in His being. To be finite is to have limits. We, as human beings, are finite creatures. There is a limit to our knowledge, power, presence, and existence. God has no such limits on Himself. He is unlimited and unbounded in every conceivable way.
It is hard for us to conceive of an infinite being. If we’re not careful we can come up with faulty definitions of what it means to be infinite. Cottrell clarifies what God’s infinity is not:
This is not to be taken in a physical or mathematical sense, as if God were infinitely large or as if he extended infinitely into space. Nor does it refer to a merely quantitative distinction between God and His creatures, as if God and man have the same attributes except God has them to an infinite degree. An example of this would be that God and man have the same kind of knowledge; only man’s is limited while God’s is unlimited. To an extent this is true, but it is not the whole point or even the main point of infinity. To say that God is infinite means that He is not limited by anything outside Himself; He is not subject to the built-in limitations of created being. Finite beings, for instance, are by nature subject to certain restrictions of time and space; the infinite God is not.
There is what seems to be an apparent paradox in God’s infinity when related to His creation. Creation both demonstrates God’s limitless and boundless power and the limitations of God’s power. God gave to His creation an independence from Himself inasmuch as He gave men and angels free will. In giving us free will God put a limitation on His own power. Cottrell said that God,
…committed Himself to respect the integrity of man’s free will choices, and thereby placed Himself in the position of sometimes having to react to the actions of man, and of sometimes having to permit things to happen that He does not specifically desire. As Thiesen remarks, “That is why He did not keep sin out of the universe by a display of His power; that is also why He does not save anyone by force.”
A Paradox
Though this may seem to deny the infinity of God, really it doesn’t, because the limitations placed on God’s by creation are self-limitations. God is not limited by nature (as we are) but by choice. He did not have to create at all, nor did He have to include beings with free will in His creation.
A Qualifying Attribute
Unlike the other attributes of God (holiness, love, justice, etc.), this attribute should be thought of as a qualifying attribute, since it qualifies all others. For example, God is holy; and His moral character is infinite in that it is not limited by any kind of moral defect, weakness, or sin. God is love, and His love is not bounded by selfishness, ignorance of our needs, or an inability to help us. In every way is God infinite. In this lesson we’ll examine some obvious ways in which God is infinite: in His existence (self-existent); with regard to time (eternal); with regard to space (omnipresent); with regard to knowledge (omniscient); and with regard to power (omnipotent).
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Unlimited Existence
1)God revealed Himself as “I AM” in Gen. 3:14. What are the implications of this name?
2)How do the following passages convey the idea of God’s self-existence: Jn. 5:26; Rom. 1:23; 1 Tim. 6:16?
3)How do each of the following convey the idea of God’s self-sufficiency: Acts 17:24-25; Rom. 11:34-35; Job 41:11; Isa. 43:12-13.
Unlimited with Regard to Time
Time is a part of created reality; therefore, time is something God created, and as such it is something God transcends (along with the rest of His creation). God transcends time limitations. This is true in a quantitative sense and a qualitative sense.
4)Without Beginning or End: Psa. 90:2; 102:25-27; Jude 25; Rev. 4:8; Rev. 21:6; Isa. 44:6. What do these passages say about God’s eternity in a quantitative sense?
5)Outside the Flow of Time: Isa. 41:21-26; 42:8-9; 44:6-8. 46:9-11; 48:3-7. What do these passages say about God’s eternity in a qualitative sense?
Unlimited with Regard to Space
Space, like time, is a product of creation. As created beings we are limited by space. We can only be in one place at a time. Only one material body can be in a given space at a time. To get from one place to another we must pass through the intervening space. But to God, the Creator, these limitations of space do not exist.
6)What are some of the implications of God’s infinity with regard to space expressed in these passages? Acts 17:24-28; Jn. 4:20-24; Psa. 139:7-10; Jer. 23:23-24
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Unlimited Knowledge
7)This aspect of God’s infinity is in part a natural consequence of the last two aspects. That God is not limited by space or time demands this conclusion. Why is this true? Heb. 4:13
8)Read Psa. 139 and suggest all the boundless dimensions of God’s knowledge described in it.
9)What are some of the implications of God’s limitless knowledge? Jer. 16:17; 2 Chron. 16:9.
Unlimited Power
Theologians speak of God’s absolute power and His ordained power. Absolute power is the unlimited reservoir of power by which God is able to do anything He could ever want to do, even if He chooses to not do it. Ordained power is the actual exercise of God’s power by which He has brought about the things He has chosen to do.
10)What do these passages say about God’s absolute power? Mt. 19:26; Lk. 1:37; Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17, 27; Job 42:1-2; Psa. 115:3. Do the following passages contradict this idea of God’s absolute power? Tit. 1:2; Jas. 1:13; 1 Sam. 15:29.
11)How does the creation illustrate the ordained power of God (Rom. 1:20)? Do the imperfections in the present creation imply there are limits to God’s power?
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
Lesson 4
THE TRINITY
Segment 7, 2005Page 1Maxson
A STUDY OF GOD
The article below and chart given on the next page are both taken from Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry, carm.org
God is a trinity of persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the same person as the Son; the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father. They are not three gods and not three beings. They are three distinct persons; yet, they are all the one God. Each has a will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal, and copowerful. If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God.